The U.S. presidential primary season is a period when political parties select their candidates for the presidential election. It typically begins in early election year and involves a series of state-level elections and caucuses where party members vote for their preferred candidate. The results help determine how many delegates each candidate will receive for the party's national convention. During this season, candidates campaign vigorously to win support and media attention. The two major parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, hold primaries, and the candidate with the most delegates at the end of the season usually becomes the party's nominee for the presidential election.